Chapter 3 – The Rise of Islam
Section Notes
Video
Geography and Life in Arabia
Origins of Islam
Islamic Beliefs and Practices
Islamic Traditions and the
World Today
History Close-up
Nomads and Townspeople
Quick Facts
The Five Pillars of Islam
Sources of Islamic Beliefs
Chapter 3 Visual Summary
Maps
Arabia, 570
Islam in Arabia, 632
Images
Time Line: Three Religions
Geography and Life in Arabia
7.2.1
The Big Idea
Life in Arabia was influenced by the harsh desert climate of
the region.
Main Ideas
• Arabia is mostly a desert land.
• Two ways of life—nomadic and sedentary—developed in
the desert.
Main Idea 1:
Arabia is mostly a desert land.
• The Arabian Peninsula lies near the intersection of three
continents, so it is called a “crossroads” location.
– Africa
– Asia
– Europe
• Arabia’s location has shaped its physical features.
Physical Features
• Arabia lies in a region with hot, dry air.
• The climate makes it hard for plants and animals to
survive.
• Huge sand dunes, or hills of sand shaped by the wind,
cover large parts of Arabia.
• Water exists mainly in oases, wet, fertile areas that are
scattered across the deserts.
Main Idea 2:
Two ways of life—nomadic and sedentary—
developed in the desert.
• In a nomadic life, people moved from place to place within
tribes for protection and as the seasons changed.
• Sedentary people settled in oases, where they could farm.
These settlements often became towns.
• Towns became centers of trade. Many had a souk, a
market or bazaar, where goods were traded.
Origins of Islam
7.2.2
The Big Idea
Muhammad, a merchant from Mecca, introduced a major
world religion called Islam.
Main Ideas
• Muhammad became a prophet and introduced a religion
called Islam in Arabia.
• Muhammad’s teachings had similarities to Judaism and
Christianity, but they also presented new ideas.
• Islam spread in Arabia after being rejected at first.
Main Idea 1:
Muhammad became a prophet and
introduced a religion called Islam in Arabia.
• A man named Muhammad taught a new religion to the
people of Arabia.
• Muslims believe that God spoke to Muhammad through an
angel and made him a prophet.
• The messages he received were the basis for Islam and
were collected in the holy book of Islam called the Qur’an.
Main Idea 2:
Muhammad’s teachings had similarities to
Judaism and Christianity, but they also
presented new ideas.
• Muhammad taught that there was only one God, Allah,
which means “the God” in Arabic. This is similar to
Christianity and Judaism.
• Muslims also recognize many of the same prophets as
Christians and Jews.
• Muslims don’t believe that Jesus was the son of God.
• Arabs were used to worshipping many gods, so many of
them rejected Muhammad’s teachings.
• Muhammad said the rich and poor should be equal. Many
wealthy merchants did not like this idea.
Main Idea 3:
Islam spread in Arabia after
being rejected at first.
• Islam spread from Mecca to Medina.
– Rulers of Mecca began to threaten Muhammad and his
followers with violence as Islam started to influence
more people.
– Muhammad left Mecca and went to Medina.
– This departure became known in Muslim history as the
hegira, or journey.
– Islam thrived in Medina, and other Arab tribes in the
region accepted Islam.
Islam Spreads from Medina
to the Rest of Arabia
• Muhammad’s house became the first mosque, or building
for Muslim prayer.
• He reported new revelations about rules for society,
government, and worship.
• Mecca finally welcomed Muhammad back to the city and
accepted Islam as its religion.
Islamic Beliefs and Practices
7.2.3
The Big Idea
Sacred texts called the Qur’an and the Sunnah guide Muslims
in their religion, daily life, and laws.
Main Ideas
• The Qur’an guides Muslims’ lives.
• The Sunnah tells Muslims of important duties expected of
them.
• Islamic law is based on the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
Main Idea 1:
The Qur’an guides Muslims’ lives.
• The world has a definite end, and on that final day, God will
judge all people.
• The Qur’an sets out guidelines for moral behavior, acts of
worship, and rules for social life
– Muslims were encouraged to free slaves.
– Women could own property, earn money, and receive an
education.
• The Qur’an discusses Jihad, which means to make an effort, or
to struggle. Jihad refers to the inner struggle people go through
in their effort to obey God and behave according to Islamic
ways.
– Jihad can also mean the struggle to defend the Muslim
community, or historically, to convert people to Islam. The
word has also been translated as “holy war.”
Main Idea 2:
The Sunnah tells Muslims of important duties
expected of them.
• The hadith is the written record of Muhammad’s words
and actions. It is the basis for the Sunnah.
• The Sunnah provides a model for the duties and way of
life expected of Muslims.
• The first duties of a Muslim are known as the Five Pillars of
Islam, which are five acts of worship required of all
Muslims.
The Five Pillars of Islam
1. Saying “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is his
prophet”
2. Praying five times a day
3. Giving to the poor and needy
4. Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan
5. Traveling to Mecca at least once on a hajj
Main Idea 3:
Islamic law is based on the Qur’an and the
Sunnah.
The Qur’an and the Sunnah
form the basis of Islamic law,
or Shariah.
Shariah is a system based on
Islamic sources and human
reason that judges the
rightness of actions taken.
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Chapter 4 – The Spread of Islam
Section Notes
Video
Early Expansion
Muslim Empires
Cultural Achievements
Islamic Traditions and the
World Today
History Close-up
The Blue Mosque
Quick Facts
Chapter 4 Visual Summary
Maps
Early Muslim Conquests
Trade in the Muslim World
The City of Córdoba
The Ottoman Empire
The Safavid Empire
The Mughal Empire
Images
The City of Córdoba
Islamic Achievements
Islamic Achievements
(continued)
Early Expansion
7.2.4
7.2.5
The Big Idea
Conquest and trade led to the spread of Islam, the blending
of cultures, and the growth of cities.
Main Ideas
• Muslim armies conquered many lands into which Islam
slowly spread.
• Trade helped Islam spread into new areas.
• A mix of cultures was one result of Islam’s spread.
• Islamic influence encouraged the growth of cities.
Main Idea 1:
Muslim armies conquered many lands into
which Islam slowly spread.
• After Muhammad’s death, Abu Bakr became the first
caliph, the title that Muslims use for the highest leader of
Islam.
• Caliphs were not religious leaders, but political and
military leaders.
• Abu Bakr directed a series of battles against Arab tribes
who did not follow Muhammad’s teachings.
Growth of the Empire
• Muslim armies battled
tribes that did not follow
Muhammad’s teachings.
• The Muslim armies united
Arabia, then defeated the
Persian and Byzantine
empires.
• After years of fighting
Muslim armies, many
Berbers, a native people of
North Africa, converted to
Islam and joined forces
with the Arabs.
• A combined Berber and
Arab army invaded Spain
and conquered it in AD
711.
Main Idea 2:
Trade helped Islam
spread into new areas.
• Along with their trade goods, Arab merchants took Islamic
beliefs to new lands.
• Islam spread to India, Africa, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
• Trade also brought new products to Muslim lands and
made many people rich.
– Travelers learned how to make paper from the Chinese.
– Merchants brought crops of cotton, rice, and oranges
from India, China, and Southeast Asia.
– Muslim merchants set up trade businesses in Africa.
Main Idea 3:
A mix of cultures was one result
of Islam’s spread.
• As Islam spread through
trade, warfare, and
treaties, Arabs came into
contact with people who
had different beliefs and
lifestyles.
• Language and religion
helped unify many groups
that became part of the
Islamic world.
• Muslims generally
practiced tolerance, or
acceptance, with regard to
these people.
• Jews and Christians in
particular could keep their
beliefs.
Main Idea 4:
Islamic influence encouraged the growth of
cities.
• Baghdad
• Cordoba
• Capital of Islamic Empire
• Capital of what is now
Spain
• Located near land and
water trade routes
• Walled city
• Strong economy based on
agriculture and trade
• Built hospitals,
observatories, and a library
that was used as a
university
• Great center of learning
• By the AD 900s, was the
largest and most advanced
city in Europe
• Also a center of Jewish
culture
Muslim Empires
7.2.4
The Big Idea
After the early spread of Islam, three large Islamic empires
formed—the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal.
Main Ideas
• The Ottoman Empire covered a large area in eastern
Europe.
• The Safavid Empire blended Persian cultural traditions with
Shia Islam.
• The Mughal Empire in India left an impressive cultural
heritage.
Main Idea 1:
Muslims ruled the Ottoman Empire, which
was a political and cultural force.
• The Ottomans were aided
by slave soldiers called
Janissaries.
• They had new gunpowder
weapons, such as the
cannon.
• Mehmed II and Suleyman I
led conquests that turned
the Ottomans into a world
power.
• During Suleyman’s rule,
the Ottoman Empire
reached its cultural peak.
– Poets wrote beautiful
works.
– Architects turned
Istanbul into a Muslim
city.
• Women had limited
freedom.
Ottoman Government and Society
• The sultan, or Ottoman ruler, issued laws and made all
major decisions in the empire.
• Ottoman society was divided into two classes.
– Judges and people who advised the sultan were part of
the ruling class.
– Those who didn’t fit into the ruling class made up the
other class. Many of these were Christians or Jews from
lands the Ottomans had conquered.
Main Idea 2:
The Safavid Empire blended Persian cultural
traditions with Shia Islam.
• A conflict arose over who should be caliph.
• Islam split into two groups.
– The Shia thought that only members of Muhammad’s
family could become caliphs.
– The Sunni thought it did not matter as long as they
were good Muslims and strong leaders.
The Safavid Empire
• The Safavid Empire began when the Safavid leader Esma’il
conquered Persia and made himself shah, or king.
• He made Shiism the official religion of the empire.
• The Safavids blended Persian and Muslim traditions.
• The manufacturing of traditional products, such as
handwoven carpets, silk, and velvet, was encouraged.
Main Idea 3:
The Mughal Empire in India left an impressive
cultural heritage.
• Babur established the Mughal Empire, but it grew mostly
under an emperor named Akbar.
• Akbar’s tolerant policies helped unify the empire.
• A conflict of cultures led to the end of this empire, but
resulted in a culture unique to the Mughal Empire.
• Cultures that blended in the empire included
– Muslims
– Hindus
– Persians
– Indians
Cultural Achievements
7.2.6
The Big Idea
Muslim scholars and artists made contributions to science,
art, and literature.
Main Ideas
• Muslim scholars made advances in various fields of science
and philosophy.
• Islam influenced styles of literature and the arts.
Main Idea 1:
Muslim scholars made advances in various
fields of science and philosophy.
• Muslim scholars made advances in astronomy, geography,
math, and science.
• Many ancient writings were translated into Arabic.
Cultural Achievements
• Geography
– Geographers made more accurate maps than before,
mostly due to the contributions of al-Idrisi.
• Math
– The Muslim mathematician al-Khwarizmi laid the
foundations for modern algebra.
• Astronomy
– They made improvements to the astrolabe, which the
Greeks had invented to chart the positions of the stars.
More Scholarly Advances
• Medicine
– The Muslims’ greatest scientific achievements may have
come in medicine.
– A doctor named Ar-Razi discovered how to diagnose
and treat the deadly disease smallpox.
• Philosophy
– The Muslim philosophy focused on spiritual issues,
which led to a movement called Sufism.
– Sufism teaches that people can find God’s love by
having a personal relationship with God.
Main Idea 2:
Islam influenced styles of literature
and the arts.
• Literature
– Two forms of literature were popular in the Muslim
world—poetry and short stories.
• Architecture
– The greatest architectural achievements were mosques.
They often had a dome and minarets—narrow towers
from which Muslims are called to prayer.
– Patrons, or sponsors, used their wealth to pay for
elaborately decorated mosques.
More Islamic Influences
• Art
– Because they could not represent people or animals in
paintings due to their religion, Muslim artists turned
calligraphy, or decorative writing, into an art form.
– They used this technique to decorate buildings and
mosques.
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